Steering gear



June 24, 1930. D. E. ROSS STEERING GEAR Filed July 1. 1926 3Sheets-Sheet 1 June 24,1930. D. E. ROS? 1,767,188

' STEERING GEAR Filed Jhl '1. 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 2 June 24, 1930 D. E.RUSS STEERING GEAR Filed July 1. s Sheets-=Sheet s Patented June2:4;1930 i DAvInE. nosson LA FAYETTE, InnrANA, ASSIGIN'OR To nessenan &lamine f.-

Thisinventionis a novel improvement in or LA FAYETTE, INDIANA, AOQRPORATION or rnnmnn T 1 A pplicationiiled July 1, 192a SerialNo.'119,885

steering gears and the principal object thereofis to provide a simple,novel andgeflicient steering gear involving three working parts, Inamely, a screw, an actuating member-comprising a slidable plate havinga slot and 'nut,,an'd a rocker shaft havinga finger on its innerendprovicled with a pin engaging l the slot in the'actuating member. n

Anotherobject of the invention-is to pro vide a steerin r gear whichmaybe produced a as a stock article in every particularv except for theslot in the plate, and byvprop-- erly designing the slot in the platethe steering gear may be made of any' desired ratio, within reasonablelimits, toproduce a given extent of turningl of the rookerlshaft 'for agiven extent ofturningfof thejsteering wheel. The gearmay. be. used; foreither right or left hand. drives,,by simply revers; ,ing the plate, orthe'slot in the plate,and the, slot may be generated; to suit; all therequired positions of the steering wheel fora given position or extentof turn of the steeringwheel. V r

Another" object is to make will have an*unusually;long fingeron therocker shaft provided vwith a pin 1 engaging the slot in theplate,thereby reducing to a'minimum the unit pressure exertedlon the in andhence reducin f wlear. a V be I will explain,theiinvention' refer:

@ to the s pan ire raw ngs wh h illustrate one practical embodimentthereof,

' and summarize .in theclaims the essentials} toenable others toadoptand usethe same;

of the invention and-the novel-featurejsi f; construction and novelcombinationss of partsfor which protection is desired; 5;

In said drawings F ig, '1 is a longitudinal;

'1 Fig. 2 is cover plate removed. 1 I

Fig- 3 is a top en v ew of. the ctu ting member detached; f;

byturning shaft 1, but it has no s tion h ugh, a steering gear embodyingthe inventiomin the P n f h S er ng h f and; ro er; the parts in, normalmidi;

the cover-plate detached;

Fig. 5 is an inside face view of thecover platen Fig. 6 is a'trans'Fig.4 is a vertical sectional view through r Fig. 7' is a diagram,,indicatingiin. e111 hnes therelative positions" of the pin andactuatingvmember' for normal straight member at the extreme limits ofmovement ing some of the many. possible variations 1n the contour oftheslot 'lln"1tl16l actuating member, whereby different gear ratios between turnsfof the steering wheelaiid them:

rocker shaft'maybe obtained j v a The steering shaft l tmay be. anydesired construction.- As shown' in Figsi l and 2 this shaft has itslower, end journaled in ball bearings 2 and 29 inthe" upper and 7-5-lower. ends, of thesteer-gear casing 2; Fixedly securedto the: shaft 1within casing 2 isa wormor screw 3. This screw -'3.-may be for ed. integal with the shaft 1' if de sired, or=may be made separate therefrom soand attached thereto. in any desiredmanner. The screw-3 cangbefrotatedinnthe casing '27 longitudinal orilafte'ralmovement-therein.

Slidably mounted;. in the casing 2- 'ifs an actuating member'comprisingaplate portion 4:, and a nut'portion 4 formed wither "rigidly connectedto the plate portion '4. ,This'actuating member is. interposed betweenthe screw 3 and the finger 5 on the inner end of the rocker shaft 5, andthe actuating memher is slidably but non-rotatably mountedandguided incasing. 2' and is adapted to be moved axially .of the :screwandperpendicu=v larly of the rocker shaft 5. I'yllLVB -i1lus trated anddescribed a-half nut t onlthe actuatingmember, engaging worm 3, as byuse of such half "nut the thickness of the casing 2; may he main ainedat" a: minimum; a but obvious y a {Whole 11.11111 conld vbe used; i cle-1001 L Verse section (of; thewgear on line 6 6"F1g. 1.

, ca Figs; 9 and 10 are similar diagrams showsired. The size of theactuating member is controlled by the size of the casing and the totalextent of movement to be imparted to the actuating member by the screw3.

In one side of the casing is an opening (as shown in Fig. 2) for theintroduction of the actuating member, and the opposite side walls 2 ofthis opening form guidesforthe actuating member, which guides preventtilting of the actuating member and binding of the nut 4 on the screw 3.

The actuating member is slidably confined in the casing by a removablecover plate 6 which is secured to the casing by bolts, not

shown, or in any other suitable manner so as to close the openingtherein. Cover plate 6 is preferably provided with a tubular extension6, the axis-of whichis perpendicular to the shaft 1, and in thisextension-the rocker shaft 5 is mounted. a 5 r The rocker shaft 5carries the usual steering arm (not shown) which is connected with thesteering wheels of the: vehicle in' the usual manner. A crank or finger5 is fixed on the inner end of the rocker shaft 5 within the casing; andis free to move between the actuating member and the cover plate 6. g

The inner portions 6 of the side walls of the cover 6 whichare adjacentguides 2 are adapted to also serve as guides'forlthe actuating member 4:and will prevent the latter twisting or turning, and also preventbinding of the actuating member- 1 between the guides 2* when the screw3 is turned.

The inner wall of the cover 6 is also provided with a bearing surface 6which extends adjacent and opposite the path of movement of the finger 5and will prevent the free end of the latter twisting, tilting or bindingunder pressure of the walls of the cam slot 49 against pin 5.

' The plate portion 4 of the actuating member has acurved slot AP in itsrear face said slot extending diagonally of the plate and is adapted tobe engaged by a pin 5 on the finger 5 of the rocker shaft.

'VVhen the parts of the steering gear are pin 5 towards one or the otherend of slot 1 thereby turning the rocker I shaft andsteering wheelsright or left as desired. In order to adapt the steering gear to eitherright or left hand drives without reversingthe threads of screw 3 it isonly necessary to reverse the position of the slot 4 in the actuatingmember, f. i. Fig; 7 shows a right hand drive gear,and Fig. 8a left handdrive gear, each having the same shaped slot in the actuating member,but the respective slots therein are in reversed positions.

lVhen the plate is moved to the position shown in dotted lines A inFigs. 7 and 8, the pin 5 willbe moved to the right hand end of slot 4 asshown at. A. When the plate 1 is moved to the position shown by dottedlines B in Figs. 7 and 8, the pin 5 will be moved to the left hand endof slot 49 as shown at B;

In both Figs. 7 and 8 the slot P is laid out mathematically for a gearratio of 1,5:1i.-e. 15 degrees of movement of the 9 the slot is plottedon a gear ratio of 18:1

at the extreme positions of pin 5, and a gear ratio of 14': 1 in thenormal straight ahead position of pin 5. In Fig. 10 "the slot is plottedso that the ratio in the two extreme positions of the pin 5 will be 14':1, and in the normal straight ahead position of the pin 18 1. Myinvention, however, is not limited to any particular gear ratio or toany uniform gear ratio; and the slot 4: may be formed to give anydesired, gear ratio or movement within operative limits.

-' In plotting the slot 4* the central portion thereof or point at whichthe finger 5 stands in straight ahead or mid-position should have itswalls sufficiently inclined to permit any actual dead center,,or pointat which the actuating member would become locked by the pin 5 againstmovement in the casing. In other words there should always be suflicientinclination or pitch of the walls of the cam slot at'the center thereofto insure that the actuating member can" .be moved My novel steeringgears can be made up in stock and completed in every particular exceptthe slots 4! in the actuating members, which slots can' be made of anydesired contour to obtain'any desired gear ratio within reasonablelimits tosuit any manu-' facturer }or dealer. *The same steering-- stockgear may also be readily adapted for both 'right'and left hand'drives byre-' versing the slots. 7 I

In'this novel gear the finger 5 can be made longer than in theordinarytypes of steering gears using crank fingers on the rocker shaft;and thus increased length reduces the pressure exerted on the pin 5" bythe actuating member thereby lessening strains and 'wear on the gear.

The slots in the actuating member may. be generated in accordance withthe char-' acteristics and ratios desired by any maker or dealer and theinvention is not limited to the particular embodiment thereof shown innae-mas the "drawings, as various c'han ges could be made thereinwithinthe scope of the claims.

1. A steering gear comprisinga casing;

an actuating member slidablymounted in the casing. having 'a diagonallydisposed curved slot; a rocker shaft, means for moving the actuatingmember; a finger on the rocker shaft having a pin engaging the slot;

the slot in the member varying in pitch'from the center towards itsends; said casing having an opening for. the admission of said actuatingmember; andaremovable closure for said opening having abearing for therocker shaft. I V r 2. A steering gear comprising a casingy an actuatingmember slidably mounted in the casing having a diagonally disposed slot;a rocker shaft, means for moving the actuating member; a finger on therocker shaft having a pin engaging thelslot; the slot in the membervarying in pitch from the center towards its ends.

3. A steering gear comprising a casing; an actuating member slidablymounted in the casing having a diagonally disposed slot; a rocker shaft,means formovlng theactuatlng member; a'finger on the rocker shaft havinga pin engaging the slot; said casing having an opening for the admissionof said actuating member; and a removable closure for said-openinghaving'a bearing for the rocker shaft. r y Y 4. Ina steering gear, acasing; a steering shaft extending into the casing; a rocker shaftextending into" the casing at right angles to the steering'shaft, theaxis of the rocker shaftbeingperpendicular to the axis of the steeringshaft ;"a finger on the rocker shaft; an actuating member slidablymounted in the casing between the steering shaft and the finger on therocker shaft, said member having a diagonally disposed slot 3 her by thesteering shaft; said finger having therein varying in pitchbetween itscenter and ends; and means for actuating said mema pin engaging the saidslot.

5. In a steeringgeaiya casing; a steering shaft extending into thecasing; a rocker shaft extending into the casing at right anles to thesteering shaft; thea'xis of the rocker shaft being perpendicular to theaxis of the steering shaft; a plate slidably mount- 6. In a steeringgear, a casing; a steering shaft; a rocker shaft at right angles to thesteering shaft; a plate slidably mounted in the casing between thesteeringshaft and" the finger on the inner end of the rocker.

the steering shaft in the casing in en a in said shaf said. p a e. avi g0.1 the in. ex v tending diagonally of, the .axi'sfo'f the. steer,

ing-s t sa d ot varyi g inpi chhetween 7 its center and-ends 5. a half:nutrigid'vvith the'plate; a screw on the steering shaft en;-gagingjsaid. nut; and a. finger on; the rocker shaft. having a inengaging the slot'i 7. 111 a steering gear,fla casing; a; steering.shaft-extending into the .casing; a rocker..shaft.extendmguntothe.casing at right an.-;-

gles to the steeringshaft the axis-of the rocker shaft. intersecting theablymounted' in the' casingbetweenythe steering shaftiand:theinnenendiofthe rocks.- er shaft'pand having. a slot extending diagonally ofthe axisof the steeringshaft axis of: the steering. shaft;y an actuatingamember;slid-.

and varying in pitch between the center and V eachend; a finger on therocker shaft. having apln engaging the slot; and a screw on saidactuating member. j

; 8.'In a steering gear, acaslng; a steerlng shaft extending into thecasing; a rocker shaft extending into the casing at rightangles tothesteering shaft; a plate slidably mounted in the casing between thesteering shaft and the innerend of the rocker shaft,

and adapted for movement" longitudinally of the steering shaft andradially of the its center'and ends; a half nut rigidly connected withthe plate; a" screw on-the steer.-

engaging rocker, shaft; said plate. having a slot extending diagonallyof. the axis of'th'e'steer- Y 1 ingshaft said slot varying inpitchbetween ing shaft engaging said half nut; and afinger on the rockershaft having a pin engaging the slot. r

- 9. For a steering gear, anactuttingniem-I v ber comprising a plateportionhaving a slot therein extending diagonally of the actuatingmember said slot varying in pitch be tween its center and ends;-and anutportion rigid with the. plate portion.

10.*For steering'gear, an 1 actuating member comprising a plateportionhaving actuating member adapted to be engaged by a'pin on afinger011 a rocker shaft; and a nut portion 'rigid-withthe plate portion, theslot in the plate portion varying in pitch between its center andeachend to produce i a varying ratio of movement of the rocker sha v 11 In asteering gear,-a casing; a steer- 1ng'shaft,a.screw on the shaft withinthe a slottherein extending diagonally of the casing a rocker shaftextending into the casing, the axis of the rocker shaftbeingperpendicular to the. axis of the screw; an actuating member slidablymounted in the casing between, the screw and the end of the rocker shaftand adapted formovement longitudinally of the screw and. radially of therocker shaft;

said actuating member comprising a threaded seml-cyhndrlcal nut portionengaging the screw on the steering shaft and a plate portion having aslot ex- 7 tending diagonally of the axis of the worm;

and a finger on the rocker shaft having a pin en aging the slot in theplate portion.

12. n a steering gear, a rocker shaft having a finger provided with apin, and a slidable actuating member having a diagonally disposed slotvarying in pitch between its center andends and operatively engaged bythe said pin to produce a varying ratio of movement of the rocker shaftby a uniform ratio of movement of the actuating member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as. my own, I afiix mysignature. i

" DAVID E. ROSS.

